Eagles "needed' to struggle vs. Browns

JONES

The public position the Eagles are taking on Sunday's 34-31 overtime victory over the Browns was perhaps best expressed by cornerback Lito Sheppard.

"We needed a game like this," he said.

Which just might be true, considering more NFL games resemble this one than the one-sided affairs the Eagles had been playing.

So maybe they found out some things. Maybe it was good that they had to extend themselves. Because surely they will have to do so again.

Some other random thoughts in the wake of this near-upset:

Cleveland blocks: The Eagles were hurt by the cutback running of William Green and Lee Suggs in the first half, when the Browns rushed 17 times for 123 yards.

"They're going to make some plays," said middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, who made his first start of the season in place of an injured Mark Simoneau. "They get paid, too."

After some halftime tinkering by defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, his guys -- especially Trotter and his fellow 'backers -- did a better job of staying in their pursuit lanes, limiting the Browns to 42 yards rushing on 17 carries after the break.

"Mainly," coach Andy Reid said, "the guys held their water back there. They didn't get washed out."

But the Eagles never adjusted to the pick plays the Browns ran in the passing game. And there were, safety Brian Dawkins said, "a lot of picks. Not some picks -- a lot of picks."

It seemed most blatant on Jeff Garcia's third-quarter touchdown pass to tight end Steve Heiden, when wide receiver Frisman Jackson tripped up safety Michael Lewis, the man who was supposed to cover Heiden. But there was no offensive pass interference call then, and none the entire game against Cleveland.

The belief here is that this game was the anomaly, that Johnson's defense, miles better than it was a year ago, will return to form in future weeks. And dare it be said that the discipline of Simoneau -- everybody's favorite whipping boy -- was missed in the middle?

Deep route: Twice in overtime the Eagles elected to throw long on third-and-short. Once, OK. But twice?

Reid said the Browns were in bump-and-run coverage, so the Eagles wanted to "take a shot" and "stay aggressive," especially on the road. But neither play -- heaves by Donovan McNabb intended for Terrell Owens and Todd Pinkston -- succeeded.

"That doesn't make you look real good as a coach, when you don't make them," Reid said. "When they turn out the other way, you look pretty good.

"We have always stayed aggressive, and will continue to do that."

Just another reminder of how much he believes in the West Coast offense. But riddle me this, Batman: He couldn't trust backup Dorsey Levens -- in the game because of an injury to Brian Westbrook -- to get a first down on the ground?

Unsettling. Especially if Westbrook is out for any length of time.

Banner day: Reid had a brief sideline conversation with Owens after he finished his stadium redecorating by tearing down an unflattering banner (and drawing an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty in the process).

Later, Reid said, "I missed that, but I saw the result and I didn't like the result. He just needs to take care of business. He doesn't need to do that. He's too good of a player to do that kind of stuff."

Garcia, a frequent target of Owens, enjoyed a strong performance himself. And afterward he was asked if that might finally shut up his self-appointed nemesis.

"I don't think anything you do is going to shut him up," Garcia said, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.